The Importance of Being Earnest
Act I, Second Half
What is Gwendolen’s “ideal”? Do you think she is missing the point of an ideal? How or why not?
Gwendolen’s “ideal” is a man named Ernest. She believes that the name Ernest exemplifies qualities such as honesty, integrity, and reliability, and she has built up a romanticized image of what a man named Ernest would be like. However, it later becomes clear that Gwendolen’s ideal is not necessarily based on the person himself, but rather the idea of the person being named Ernest.
In a way, Gwendolen is missing the point of an ideal because she is placing too much importance on superficial qualities such as a name, rather than focusing on the substance of the individual and their actions. This is highlighted by the fact that both Jack and Algernon pretend to be named Ernest in order to win Gwendolen and Cecily’s affections, suggesting that their true identities are less important than the name itself to the women.
Overall, Gwendolen’s fixation on the name Ernest demonstrates how societal expectations and standards can shape one’s concept of an ideal, rather than truly understanding and appreciating a person for who they are.